Interest in different languages

Interest in Different Languages

Discover 'Interest' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'interest' holds a significant place in our daily conversations and thoughts. It represents a feeling of curiosity or concern, or the money you earn from investments. Its cultural importance is evident in various aspects of life, from personal hobbies to business transactions. Understanding the translation of 'interest' in different languages can open up new avenues of communication and cultural appreciation.

Did you know that the word 'interest' has its roots in Latin, with 'inter' meaning 'between' and 'esse' meaning 'to be'? This historical context highlights the word's original meaning, which referred to the state of being between or amidst. Over time, the word evolved to represent the modern concepts we're familiar with today.

If you're someone who loves learning new languages or delving into different cultures, knowing the translation of 'interest' can be a fun and enlightening experience. Here are a few examples:

  • French: intérêt
  • Spanish: interés
  • German: Interesse
  • Mandarin: 兴趣 (xìngqù)
  • Japanese: 興味 (kōmi)

Interest


Interest in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansbelangstelling
The word "belangstelling" ultimately derives from "stellen" or "stellen" in Middle Dutch or "stellen" (to set up) in Old High German.
Amharicፍላጎት
The word ፍላጎት is derived from the verb ፍለግ, meaning "to desire" or "to seek".
Hausasha'awa
The Hausa word sha'awa can also mean 'desire' or 'inclination'.
Igbommasị
The word "mmasị" also means "concern" or "importance" in Igbo.
Malagasymahaliana
In the Malagasy language, the word "mahaliana" can also refer to the interest paid on a loan or investment.
Nyanja (Chichewa)chidwi
The word "chidwi" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is a compound of "ku-dya" (to eat) and "chi-wi" (something sweet), and also refers to a honeybee.
Shonakufarira
In some Shona dialects, "kufarira" can also mean "to love" or "to care for".
Somalixiisaha
Xiisuhu is also the Somali word for 'flower' or 'nature'. Its use as a synonym for 'interest' can be traced back to the importance of nature and its resources in traditional Somali culture.
Sesothothahasello
The word "thahasello" in Sesotho also means "desire" or "wish".
Swahilihamu
The word "hamu" in Swahili can also refer to "attention" or "concern".
Xhosainzala
In isiXhosa the word "inzala" comes from the word "zala" meaning "to give birth", referring to the idea of increasing or multiplying.
Yorubaanfani
The word "anfani" in Yoruba, meaning "interest," possibly derives from the Arabic borrowing "fanni," meaning "craft" or "profession."
Zuluinzalo
The Zulu word "inzalo" can also refer to a person's descendants or offspring.
Bambaranafa
Ewedidi
Kinyarwandainyungu
Lingalalikebi
Lugandaobwagazi
Sepedikgahlego
Twi (Akan)mfasoɔ

Interest in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicفائدة
The Arabic word "فائدة" can also refer to a benefit, advantage, or utility.
Hebrewריבית
The Hebrew word "ריבית" derives from the root "רב" ("increase"), denoting accrual.
Pashtoعلاقه
علاقه also means "relation" and "attachment" in Pashto.
Arabicفائدة
The Arabic word "فائدة" can also refer to a benefit, advantage, or utility.

Interest in Western European Languages

Albanianinteresi
The word "interesi" in Albanian can also refer to "concern" or "regard for something or someone."
Basqueinteresa
The word "interesa" in Basque, meaning "interest," can also be spelled "enteresea" to mean "concern, care; attention, thought, consideration, regard."
Catalaninterès
Catalan "interès" can also refer to a specific amount of time one has been involved with a topic.
Croatianinteres
In Croatian, "interes" also means "passion, involvement, or participation."
Danishinteresse
In Danish, "interesse" can also mean "concern" or "relevance".
Dutchinteresseren
The Dutch word "interesseren" is derived from the Latin word "interesse," which means "to be present or concerned with.
Englishinterest
The word "interest" comes from the Latin "interesse," meaning "to be present or concerned with," and has retained this sense in the modern usage of the term.
Frenchl'intérêt
The word "l'intérêt" in French can also mean "the advantage" or "the benefit".
Frisianrinte
Rinte and rinte are both derived from Old Frisian *rinta meaning "that which is run" and are related to English "rent".
Galicianinterese
In Galician, "interese" can also refer to a "plot of land".
Germaninteresse
In German, "Interesse" can also mean "sympathy" or "liking".
Icelandicáhugi
Áhugi can also mean hobby or special interest.
Irishleas
The Irish word "leas" means "care, favour, advantage, benefit" and is also used to refer to a wife.
Italianinteresse
The Italian word "interesse" also means "affair" or "business".
Luxembourgishinteresséieren
Malteseinteress
"Interess" in Maltese comes from the Italian "interesse" and also means "aim" or "purpose"
Norwegianrenter
Renter is the Norwegian word for interest (money).
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)interesse
The Portuguese word "interesse" derives from the Latin "inter-esse", meaning "to be present or involved in", and has come to denote a variety of meanings, including concern, importance, and financial profit.
Scots Gaelicùidh
Scots Gaelic "ùidh" derives from the Old Irish "úas,
Spanishinteresar
In addition to its monetary sense, 'interesar' can also mean 'to be interesting', stemming from the Latin 'interesse', meaning 'to concern'.
Swedishintressera
The word "intressera" in Swedish derives from the Middle Low German "interesse" meaning "matter of concern".
Welshdiddordeb
The Welsh word "diddordeb" has its origins in the phrase "did wrth y deb" or "to come to an end," implying a state of completion or satisfaction.

Interest in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianцікавасць
The Belarusian word "цікавасць" is derived from the verb "цікавіцца" meaning "to be interested in" and also has the meaning of "curiosity".
Bosniankamata
The word "kamata" can refer to other concepts as well, such as "gain" or "profit"
Bulgarianлихва
The word "лихва" derives from a Slavic root meaning both "growth" and "usury" in Bulgarian.
Czechzájem
The word "zájem" also has the meaning of "concern" or "engagement" in Czech.
Estonianhuvi
"Huvi" is derived from the Proto-Uralic root "*huwe" and also means "hobby" in Estonian.
Finnishkiinnostuksen kohde
"Kiinnostuksen kohde" (interest) is literally "object of interest" in Finnish.
Hungarianérdeklődés
The word "érdeklődés" comes from the verb "érdekel" (it interests), which derives from the Middle Turkish word "arıklamak" meaning "to seek, to look for".
Latvianinterese
The word 'interese' is borrowed from German and can also mean 'hobby', 'concern'.
Lithuanianpalūkanų
The word "palūkanų" comes from the root "luk", meaning "to bend", and originally referred to the interest charged on a loan as a form of compensation for the lender's "bending" of his or her wealth.
Macedonianинтерес
The Macedonian word "интерес" also means "benefit" or "advantage" and is cognate with the English word "interest".
Polishzainteresowanie
The word "zainteresowanie" is derived from the Latin word "interesse", which means "to be involved in".
Romanianinteres
The Romanian word "interes" comes from the Latin word "interesse" which means "to be present between", hence the secondary meaning of "relationship"}
Russianинтерес
In Russian, "интерес" has an additional meaning of "curiosity".
Serbianкамата
The word "камата" can also refer to the usury or profit gained from lending money.
Slovakúrok
The word "úrok" in Slovak also means "harvest" or "yield", highlighting its original connection to agricultural practices.
Slovenianobresti
The word "obresti" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *obьrьstъ, meaning "growth" or "profit."
Ukrainianінтерес
"Інтерес" comes from the verb "інтиригувати" - "intrigue"

Interest in South Asian Languages

Bengaliস্বার্থ
It can also mean self-interestedness or personal gain, but has a nuanced meaning beyond financial interest alone
Gujaratiરસ
"રસ" can also mean "juice", "taste", or "pleasure" in Gujarati.
Hindiब्याज
In Hindi, "ब्याज" also means "bias" or "prejudice".
Kannadaಆಸಕ್ತಿ
The Kannada word "ಆಸಕ್ತಿ" can also mean "inclination", "curiosity" or "concern".
Malayalamതാൽപ്പര്യം
Marathiव्याज
"व्याज" also denotes "fraud" and in some contexts also refers to a "false claim" to establish an "injustice" that does not exist.
Nepaliचासो
The word "चासो" in Nepali shares its etymology with the Sanskrit word "चास" meaning "desire" or "curiosity"
Punjabiਦਿਲਚਸਪੀ
In Punjabi, the word "ਦਿਲਚਸਪੀ" (dilchaspi) not only means "interest" but also encompasses the concept of "fondness" or "inclination" towards something.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)උනන්දුව
The word "උනන්දුව" means "interest" in Sinhala. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "उत्कण्ठा" (utkaṇṭhā), which means "eager desire" or "longing".
Tamilஆர்வம்
ஆர்வை அருப்பலியா பாறக்கராதன்னா துதிரு சாலம் போடிய ஒலு என்மு கட்ளு அலிவோம்.
Teluguఆసక్తి
In Telugu, "ఆసక్తి" not only means financial "interest" but also encompasses "attraction," "inclination," and "desire."
Urduدلچسپی

Interest in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)利益
Chinese "利益" derives from "利", a tool used to reap rice, which represents financial profit but is often extended to include personal, cultural, and political advantages.
Chinese (Traditional)利益
利益 (lìyì) can also mean "benefit" or "advantage."
Japanese興味
"興味" (interest) is used to express a wide range of meanings, from simple curiosity to passionate devotion.
Korean관심
The word "관심" (interest) in Korean also means "concern" or "attention."
Mongolianхүү
Although хүү primarily means "interest" in Mongolian, it has a secondary usage to refer to a child, which is often used affectionately
Myanmar (Burmese)အကျိုးစီးပွား

Interest in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianbunga
In Malay, "bunga" also refers to a gift of gratitude, and in Javanese it can additionally mean a flower.
Javanesekapentingan
In Javanese, "kapentingan" also denotes "attention," "care," or "concern."}
Khmerចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍
Laoຄວາມສົນໃຈ
Malayminat
The word "minat" is derived from the Arabic word "minhah" or "niyyat," meaning "intention" or "desire."
Thaiน่าสนใจ
The Thai word "น่าสนใจ" (interest) literally means "interesting face".
Vietnamesequan tâm
“Quan tâm” also means “to care for” or “to pay attention to” someone or something.
Filipino (Tagalog)interes

Interest in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanimaraq
The word "maraq" in Azerbaijani is derived from the Arabic word "marāq (مَرَاق)", meaning "curiosity, desire, or eagerness," and is also used to refer to "income" or "profit" in some contexts.
Kazakhқызығушылық
Kyrgyzпайыздык
In Persian, "paye" is a loanword from French meaning "pay, stipend" and is also a synonym of "fa'yda" (interest).
Tajikфоиз
The word "фоиз" can also mean "percent" or "proportion".
Turkmengöterim
Uzbekqiziqish
The word "qiziqish" is derived from the Persian verb "qiziganidan", meaning "to be heated" or "to be excited".
Uyghurئۆسۈم

Interest in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhoihoi
In Hawaiian, "hoihoi" can also mean "to call out" or "to make a noise".
Maoripaanga
The word "paanga" can also mean "usury".
Samoantului
The word "tului" can also refer to a loan or debt, or it may be a noun, referring to a creditor.
Tagalog (Filipino)interes
The Tagalog word "interes" can also refer to "meaning", "purpose", or "importance", similar to its English derivation from the Latin interest.}

Interest in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaramunaña
Guaranivirumemby

Interest in International Languages

Esperantointereso
"Intereso" also refers to a part of a sum which is to be repaid to a creditor along with the sum borrowed (known as "principal") but is itself not included in the principal.
Latinrem
The Latin word "rem" can also mean "thing" or "property" and is related to the word "res" meaning "thing".

Interest in Others Languages

Greekενδιαφέρον
The term also conveys "what is in between", which may have originally referred to the "interest" in the middle of a deal.
Hmongpaj
The word 'paj' in Hmong also means 'share' or 'profit'
Kurdishzem
In the context of money, zem also refers to the amount of money paid or charged in addition to the principal sum.
Turkishfaiz
In Turkish, "faiz" also means "surplus" or "excess", deriving from the Arabic word "fayz" meaning "abundance" or "overflow".
Xhosainzala
In isiXhosa the word "inzala" comes from the word "zala" meaning "to give birth", referring to the idea of increasing or multiplying.
Yiddishאינטערעס
אינטערעס derives from the German "interesse" meaning "participation" and the Latin "interesse" meaning "to be among or between."
Zuluinzalo
The Zulu word "inzalo" can also refer to a person's descendants or offspring.
Assameseসুত
Aymaramunaña
Bhojpuriसूद
Dhivehiޝަޢުޤު
Dogriदिलचस्पी
Filipino (Tagalog)interes
Guaranivirumemby
Ilocanointeres
Kriobisin
Kurdish (Sorani)حەز
Maithiliसूद
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯁꯦꯟꯗꯣꯏ
Mizoduhzawng
Oromofedhii
Odia (Oriya)ଆଗ୍ରହ
Quechuamunay
Sanskritअभिरुचिः
Tatarкызыксыну
Tigrinyaወለድ
Tsongatsakela

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